Lusaka City Council (LCC) has announced the rollout of Phase Two of Operation Clear Path, with Katondo Street among the areas targeted as authorities intensify efforts to remove illegal street vending, unauthorised bus operations and other unlawful activities from Lusaka’s Central Business District (CBD). The operation is aimed at restoring order, cleanliness and public safety […]

Lusaka City Council (LCC) has announced the rollout of Phase Two of Operation Clear Path, with Katondo Street among the areas targeted as authorities intensify efforts to remove illegal street vending, unauthorised bus operations and other unlawful activities from Lusaka’s Central Business District (CBD).

The operation is aimed at restoring order, cleanliness and public safety in the city while building on what the council says were gains achieved during Phase One of Operation Clear Path.

The development was announced in a statement issued by Bulumba Nyambe, Assistant Public Relations Manager at Lusaka City Council, following a press briefing at the Civic Centre.

Lusaka Mayor Chitambala Mwewa said Phase Two would focus on further decongesting the CBD and consolidating the progress made during the first phase of the operation.

According to the council, one of the key components of the next phase will be dealing with buses operating from unauthorised locations. LCC will work with the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) and the Zambia Police Service to ensure that buses operating from undesignated areas are relocated to authorised bus stations.
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The council says the move is intended to improve traffic flow, enhance public safety and create a more organised public transport system in the CBD.

Katondo Street has been singled out for intensified enforcement following concerns raised by established businesses operating in the area.

The mayor said legitimate businesses have complained that street traders occupying shopfronts and access points were making it difficult for established businesses to operate effectively.

The council has therefore warned that business activities within the CBD must take place from lawful and designated trading places.

Particular attention will also be placed on the sale of mobile phones and electronic devices on Katondo Street. According to Mayor Mwewa, there have been longstanding concerns regarding the legitimacy of some of the products being sold in the area, including reports that some devices may be stolen property.

The council says it will take decisive action to clear Katondo Street of illegal traders and other activities contributing to disorder in the area.

The enforcement will also cover vehicles being displayed for sale along Katondo Street. The council has warned that the street is not a designated area for motor vehicle sales and that such activities will not be allowed as part of the ongoing operation.

Meanwhile, mobile traders selling fruits, vegetables and other goods from wheelbarrows have also been directed to relocate to recognised trading centres.

The council has encouraged such traders to register and operate from approved facilities, including Soweto Market, City Market and Simon Mwewa Market, among other designated trading centres.

The latest move comes after the council and Zambia Police began implementing Operation Clear Path earlier in October, with authorities targeting street vending and unauthorised bus operations in the CBD. The council has said the broader exercise is intended to restore order while relocating traders to designated markets.

The Zambia Police Service has also committed to supporting the council during the enforcement exercise.

Zambia Police Service Public Relations Officer Godfrey Chilabi said the police would work with Lusaka City Council throughout the process to enforce the law for the benefit of the public.

The council’s latest announcement signals an expansion of the enforcement campaign beyond the initial areas targeted under Operation Clear Path, with Katondo Street now receiving particular attention because of concerns surrounding street trading, access to established businesses, electronic goods and unauthorised vehicle sales.

For traders operating in the CBD, the council’s message is that trading must be conducted from recognised and designated locations rather than streets, shopfronts and other unauthorised spaces.

The success of Phase Two will ultimately depend on how effectively the council, RTSA and police enforce the measures while ensuring that affected traders and transport operators have access to the designated facilities identified by the authorities.

For now, Katondo Street is among the key areas in the spotlight as Lusaka City Council steps up Operation Clear Path in its latest push to restore order in the capital’s CBD.